Botswana Safaris: THE GREAT BOTSWANA JOURNEY

An abbreviated version of our Great Wilderness Journey ~ Experience a nostalgic, turn-of-the-century camping/lodging safari that recreates the sense of a game-viewing adventure reminiscent of the times of the great African explorers as they made their way leisurely along the dusty paths of Africa, allowing the great continent to seep into their souls.

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE

ITINERARY DETAILS

This guided mobile safari takes time to experience and explore Botswana's contrasts and extremes: from the lushly vegetated wetlands of the Okavango Delta to one of the world's 7 natural wonders, the magnificent Victoria Falls.

Days 1 & 2: Ketumetse Trails Camp, North-eastern Okavango Delta
After arrival in Maun, fly by light aircraft to our Ketumetse Trails Camp, situated in a private concession bordering Moremi Game Reserve.

Our Discoverer campsite has been erected prior to our arrival in the wildlife-rich seasonal plains region under camel thorn shade trees, affording some views of the floodplain in cool comfort.

Activities concentrate on the open herbivore-inhabited plains flanked by palm trees and forest surrounding the camp, where seasonal congregations of wildlife (especially in the late afternoons) make the perfect setting for game drives, night drives and bush walks on the concession.

Days 3 & 4: Xigera Camp, Okavango Delta
We fly by light aircraft to the abundant waters of the permanently flooded region of the Okavango Delta, where sunlight and rich soil combine to produce a paradise bursting with life and diversity.

Xigera Camp is a luxury tented camp situated in the Moremi Game Reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Xigera has something for everyone, in an area where there are no other camps and where permanent water allows one to take part in a variety of activities. Enjoy a true Delta experience while you sit back in a mokoro (dugout canoe) and silently glide through the tranquil Okavango waterways or watch the sunset and birds gliding home to roost from a motorboat on the Xigera Lagoon. When water levels permit (usually September to May), game drives allow the opportunity to observe wildlife and the unique Delta scenery from the comfort of a Land Rover. For the more adventurous we can track animals on foot.

Nestled in a magnificent riverine forest, Xigera consists of 10 luxuriously furnished tented rooms with ensuite facilities and outdoor shower. Each room is raised off the ground on a wooden deck offering superb views of the seasonal floodplain and waterhole. Meals and drinks are enjoyed under the thatch of the raised lounge, pub and dining area overlooking a permanently flowing channel. A traditional boma offers alternative dining under the African stars. Wooden walkways wind through the forest connecting the rooms to the main area.

There is a plunge pool for cooling off and relaxation. The wooden footbridge, a feature unique to Xigera, connects Xigera to the next island and is often used by lion and leopard moving between the islands, providing guests with great viewing opportunities. Birding in the area is excellent, with Pel's Fishing Owl, Slaty Egret, Wattled Crane, African Skimmers and a host of eagles, vultures, raptors and kingfishers to be found. The area has the highest density of the rare sitatunga antelope found anywhere in the Okavango Delta.

Days 5 & 6: Linyanti Discoverer Camp, Linyanti Concession
We fly by light aircraft to the private Linyanti Concession then game drive to our private Discoverer campsite. This campsite is elegantly set up under large shade trees overlooking panoramic vistas of the Linyanti Swamps. The landscape varies from the floodplains of the Linyanti to savannah habitat with sweeping views, creating a paradise for a high diversity of wildlife and bird species. Activities include game drives in the private northern sector of the Concession, exploring a range of habitats, from riverbanks to scrub and forest, which reveal a myriad of wildlife en route to slake their thirst from the river. The seldom-seen sitatunga can also be spotted in the waterways, as well as rare plains game such as roan and sable antelope, and of course their predators, the lion and leopard - with the endangered wild dog as an incredible bonus.

here's also a game drive to a private area for lunch, then a siesta in hammocks and the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (This activity is not always possible, as it is dependent on whether there are hippo pods moving in and out of the areas in which we canoe.)

To complete the experience, in the rainy season we can possibly enjoy a full-day activity to the Savuti Channel, with lunch at a scenic setting under a shade tree. The spectacular but seasonal (rain-dependent) zebra migration moves between Linyanti and the Savuti Marsh between end November and March, the area also boasting an impressive diversity of mammals, including large elephant herds. When undertaken and during the correct season, this day is specifically tailored to enjoy the seasonal and migratory movements of wildlife, although sighting the zebra migration is not guaranteed.

Day 7: Chobe River boat cruise, Chobe National Park and River Club, Zambia
After a short morning drive and breakfast, we depart by light aircraft to the northern Chobe region of Chobe National Park. This area is famous for its vast herds of elephants and other unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day. Enjoy a lunch on the boat cruise in a catamaran-style shaded boat.

Leave Botswana and enter Zambia by way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia meet, to stay at the River Club, in Livingstone.

The River Club is situated on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, 18 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp has a distinct Edwardian flavour and guests here have the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River in a peaceful and tranquil setting away from the crowds.

Ten luxurious, thatched chalets overlook the Zambezi River, and have en-suite facilities including a bath, shower, toilet and basin. All the rooms have fans. The rooms are all completely open in the front giving guests the best possible views of the Zambezi. The main dining room and lounge also has an interesting library. Daily trips to the Victoria Falls are a highlight. Boating to the Zambezi River's islands provides relaxed afternoon activities, and fishing and sundowner trips are offered. A rich bird life is found in the area. Hippos are regularly sighted (and heard) along the river's edge.

Day 8: Victoria Falls, Transfer to Livingstone Airport
Enjoy a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

Transfer to Livingstone Airport after the guided tour of the Victoria Falls and bid farewell to the adventure.

NOTES:

• Each departure is guaranteed for a minimum of 2 confirmed guests and operates with a maximum of 8 guests per safari.
• Included is accommodation on a sharing basis, all meals & drinks (except premium brands), national park fees, laundry (except Sussi Lodge & River Club), activities and all internal charter as specified in the detailed itinerary.
• Excluded are flights (other than specified in the detailed safari itinerary), visas, compulsory insurance, all relevant entry and departure government taxes, all personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls, etc.), gratuities, optional extra activities, pre and post safari tours and meals or accommodation before or after the safari.
• Age limits - Children from age of 12 are welcome on all scheduled departures. For groups with children under 12, we will create a private tailor-made safari, on request and based on a different cost. For guests over the age of 75, a certified medical certificate of full health must be provided.
• We reserve the right, due to situations beyond our control, to substitute a lodge or location with another of comparable quality. This will be advised in a timely manner.
• If a guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, the single supplement will not be charged. However, if there is no suitable match, the single supplement surcharge will apply. No triple rooms are accepted.